Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

Early on Tuesday morning I spotted the young eagle in a pine near the nest tree. Then it disappeared for the rest of the morning. The crane on eggs is still on eggs. And the 2-colt crane family remained in the marsh while I was at the south end of the South Peninsula. I made a few images of an atypical group of seven cranes standing in the North Field doing nothing. Last and best was a session with a tame Eastern Meadowlark photographed from my SUV while working off the BLUBB at 1200mm.

I headed down at sunset and things were looking good for a while with a nice east wind and a hazy sun. I fanned on a fly-by American Bittern that flew from north to south while I was looking to the south. I had a few grackles and blackbirds on The Perch, but the party was ended by a single dark cloud about 10 minutes above the horizon. I packed up and drove off only to look back and see that a huge sun ball had broken through below the afore-mentioned cloud … And so it goes.

Today is Wednesday 22 March. The forecast for this morning is for mostly to partly cloudy with a freshening southeast breeze. I am not sure what I will be doing early. I have gotten lots of work done on my first GNPA keynote program, A Bird Photographer’s Story, and have assembled nearly 400 images that will be re-crafted to for the second keynote, Lessons from the Field. To learn more about the GNPA Expo early this April click here.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn …

Fan Mail

The Handoff. Gatorland Update. Sony 200-600 Versatility blog post here, generated zero comments. I was gratified, however, to receive some fan mail regarding that post. Here is my e-mail conversation with Robert C. Parsons:

AM: Dear Robert,

re:

RCP: Interesting comments about your day at Gatorland this past Saturday. I was one of the “dozen or so” photographers you noticed with decent gear …

am: Perhaps you were …

RCP: … who you observed “probably didn’t get a decent shot”. As a retired professional commercial photographer, I was wondering how you could ascertain the quality of my images by simply “observing” as you stated.

AM: After 38+ years of photographing birds, I generally have a very good idea of what the photos made by someone I observe in the field will look like, good or bad. I can often tell simply by the way they handle their gear. And I can certainly hazard a very good guess after I see what they are pointing their lens at. It is frustrating to watch folks shoot well off sun angle with their lenses pointed at cluttered nests completely blocked by sticks and vegetation with zero chance of success.

RCP: Your work is truly stunning …

AM: Thank you.

RCP: … but your apparent attitude …

AM: Your “apparent” is my “probably” (above).

RCP: … about less accomplished or experienced photographers who don’t avail themselves of your workshops or training media is in …

AM: I do take issue with your statement above. There are lots of folks who have never purchased a book or a PDF from BIRDS AS ART and have never attended a BAA Instructional Photo-Tour who consistently make great images. I have respect for the images, not for how the person got there. That said, many of today’s finest bird and nature photographers have learned from me and/or been inspired by me in one way or another …

RCP: … my opinion,

AM: You are of course entitled to your opinion.

RCP: … arrogant and condescending to others who are simply discovering the joys of photography as I did over 50 years ago.

AM: Perhaps you are right. I can see how you reached that conclusion without knowing me. I do, however, always love seeing folks excited about bird photography. I often ask beginners if they would like a tip. It was so crowded at Gatorland on Saturday past that I refrained from doing that.

I invite you to send me one good image from your Saturday session. It was a very challenging day. If you do, I would be glad to apologize profusely and personally to you on the blog. Either way, I will run our e-mail conversation in the blog on Wednesday. If you send me one great image, I will run it in the blog, admit that I was 100% wrong, and apologize as above.

With love, artie

Important Note

As of the time of publication, Mr. Parsons had not responded to numerous e-mail requests to see his best image from last Saturday, nor did he acknowledge receipt of any of my e-mails as requested.

And Please Remember

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link immediately above). My link works with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

Please Remember Also

Please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will (still!) save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I lost about fifty thousand dollars in income due to COVID 19 — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

This image was created on 19 March 2022 at Gatorland. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 456mm), and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 500: 1/1000 second at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 8:20:22Am on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone with Bird/Face-Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Great Egret — Male passing twig to female

No Comments At All

In The Handoff. Gatorland Update. Sony 200-600 Versatility blog post here, I wrote:

If you see any evidence of significant Photoshop clean-up work, please leave a comment and state your case clearly. All are invited to share their thoughts on today’s featured image, good or bad.

That post generated zero comments.

The Image Clean-up

The Animated GIF above shows Image #1 right after the raw conversion (the BEFORE) and Image #1 after the image optimization in Photoshop (the AFTER). The work took about 30 minutes. After I started on the lower right corner, I could not stop. I used my usual cadre of clean-up tools and techniques. Those included the Patch Tool, the Clone Stamp, the Spot Healing Brush, Divide and Conquer, and Content-Aware Fill.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)

The techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with all my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my MacBook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.

You can learn how and why I converted all my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About three years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One and did that for two years. You can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here.

You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

The Strongest Image?

Which of today’s seven featured images is the strongest? Why?

What’s Up?

I headed down to the lake for sunset and hung out by The Perch. The sky color was gorgeous, and I had a few Boat-tailed Grackles land. But there were no fly-bys in the color. I spent most of the day watching more March Madness games on TIVO and finally finished watching the 32 first round games. Today is Monday 21 March 2022. The forecast for this morning is for clear skies with a northeast breeze. You know where I will be. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes eleven days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links on most blog pages and always in the right column or to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords. And please consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn …

This image was created on 17 August 2021 somewhere in Kenya by Anita North. She used the Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 2500. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Animal-Eye/Face Detection performed very well. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image courtesy of and copyright 2021: Anita G. North Image #1: Leopard cub holding antelope leg

A Great Trip Made Possible by a Great Driver-Guide

A photo trip to Africa can be made or broken by the skill and knowledge of your driver guide. On several of my trips to Kenya and Tanzania, I argued often with my co-leader about firing one of the guides … Anita North spent four months in Africa in 2021 — from August thru November. She spent a good deal of time with the same guide, and came home raving about him. Here is what she had to say:

First, I would like to thank Arthur for posting the story of my remarkable photography experiences with Simon Kararei in Kenya. I hope that this blog post inspires others who wish to visit Africa to make a trip with Simon. Simply put, he is the best.

In the early 1980’s I made my first trip to Africa with a small local company in Tanzania. We camped off the beaten path at several locations. Amazingly, we pitched tents on the floor of Ngorongoro Crater; there were no lodges on the rim and the crater was densely populated with wildlife. Over the decades, I visited Tanzania several times but had never explored Kenya. I began photographing 2016 and was determined to get to Kenya.

I recalled a photographer who had mentioned a terrific driver-guide in Kenya but remembered only his first name: Simon. Almost miraculously, I was able to find him on social media. Or so I thought. When I contacted him, he told me that I had reached the wrong Simon, but he knew exactly who I was looking for, his friend and neighbor — Simon N. Kararei.

Each segment of my trip the I did with Simon was flawlessly planned and executed. I loved he Simon offered a variety of lodging options. On my travels, I learned that Simon was a highly respected in his community and served as a mentor for other aspiring driver-guides.

Most nature photographers appreciate the critical importance of a wildlife guide. All the amazing opportunities I had in Kenya during my two trips were due to Simon’s immense knowledge of the animals and their habitats and due to his incredible understanding of photography and his commitment to helping you get the best possible shot. One of his strongest skills is getting the safari vehicle in the best spot and positioning it perfectly every time. He was tireless in his efforts.

Simon’s Safari Vehicle

Get in Touch with Simon!

Simon was born and raised in the Masai Mara. He knows and understands the habits of all the animals that share his home. He always had me in the right place at the right time. And he was at his best when the sun was close to the horizon so that I could enjoy the magical early morning light and create dramatic sunset silhouettes. His modified vehicle has the door removed so that you can photograph from a low perspective rather than from the top of a safari van.

Simon is quite flexible and would be glad to help you or your group plan the African trip of a lifetime. Here is his contact info:

Simon N. Kararei
e-Mail: skararei@gmail.com
What’s App #: +254717457601

This image was created on 3 September 2021 somewhere in Kenya by Anita North. She used the Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 1600. The exposure was determined perfectly by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/800 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB. Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Animal-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image courtesy of and copyright 2021: Anita G. North Image #2: Leopard taking down wildebeest

A Note From Simon

I was born in Maasai Mara and grew up there. I have been leading safaris here and in other parks in Kenya and Tanzania for more than 15 years. I love Nature! Guiding is my passion and career and I just love helping photographers to make great images. I did my extensive forestry training in 1998. From 2001 to 2004 I worked with Basecamp Mara where I helped create various tree plantation woodland projects to conserve the environment. While I was working with Basecamp I got inspired and did my guiding training with Kenya’s professional guiding association and did my field training with the WWF Mara Monitoring program. In 2005, I began guiding at Fig Tree Camp. From 2006 to 2008 I worked with Kicheche Camps. At that time, I worked with several other guides to create the Olare Conservancy. In 2009 I set out on my own and started my own small private guided safari business. My business grew slowly, and I now have clients from around the globe. I work with a group of 4 other excellent Maasai guides. I guide both single photographers and larger photographic groups in addition to private individuals and families as well.

Thanks, Anita, for helping me to get my name out there. Lots of love. God 🙏 bless you a million times over.

Simon

This image was created on 3 September 2021 somewhere in Kenya by Anita North. She used the Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera. IS 20000. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/200 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB. Tracking: Spot S with Animal/Face-Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a higher-res version. Image courtesy of and copyright 2021: Anita G. North Image #3: African Lion adult male

Sony’s High ISOs

Kudos to Anita for exposing to the right and not worrying about the ISO settings. The average ISO for today’s seven featured images is just under 6000, yet there is virtually no visible noise in any of the images. That is due in part to the quality of the a1’s sensor, in part due to exposing properly to the right, and in part due to the beyond remarkable plug-in, Topaz DeNoise.

Great Topaz News!

Folks who use the BAA Topaz link to purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or the Utility Bundle (or any other Topaz plug-ins), will receive a 15% discount by entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout. If the stuff is on sale (as it usually is), you save 15% off the sale price! To get the discount you must use my link and you must enter the discount code. Be sure to start with this link.

Those who purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or any other Topaz plug-ins using my link and then entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout can e-mail to request a short Getting Started with Topaz e-Guide. Please include a copy of your Topaz receipt that shows the discount. Aside from the basics, the guide explains how to install the plug-ins so that they appear in the Photoshop Filter Menu.

This image was created on 9 September 2021 somewhere in Kenya by Anita North. She used the Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera. IS 8000. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/2000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB. Tracking: Zone with Animal/Face-Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a higher-res version. Image courtesy of and copyright 2021: Anita G. North Image #4: Cheetah cubs playing

Sony Tracking: Zone AF

Shooting flight with Sony Tracking: Zone AF is a remarkable experience. And with Animal/Face-eye detection enabled the AF performance when tracking running cats is equally amazing.

This image was created on 22 November 2021 somewhere in Kenya by Anita North. She used the Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera. IS 4000. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1600 sec. at f/8 (stopped down two stops) in Manual mode. AWB. Tracking: Zone with Animal/Face-Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a higher-res version. Image courtesy of and copyright 2021: Anita G. North Image #5: Cheetah cubs playing

On Working Hard

Anita North works harder than any photographer I know. Including and especially me. She is relentless. She has worked very hard for the past six years to improve her skills both in-the-field and at the computer. I’d say that she has done quite well.

This image was created on 22 November 2021 somewhere in Kenya by Anita North. She used the Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 2500. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Animal-Eye/Face Detection performed very well. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image courtesy of and copyright 2021: Anita G. North Image #6: Cheetah — adult running

November 22

22 November is a significant date in American history. Considering that three of today’s seven featured images were created on that date in 2021, I am quite sure that Anita will remember the date fondly for many years to come.

This image was created on 22 November 2021 somewhere in Kenya by Anita North. She used the Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 3200. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Animal-Eye/Face Detection performed very well. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image courtesy of and copyright 2021: Anita G. North Image #7: Cheetah cubs running

Thanks!

Big-time thanks to Anita for allowing me to share some of the great images from her four-month trip to Africa with you hear today.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.